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Why
Antidepressants Like Effexor Cause Insomnia

Effexor is a brand
name for an antidepressant known medically as
venlafaxine. Insomnia is one of the common side effects associated with
this drug as well as nausea, headaches, sweating, dizziness and memory
problems. Effexor is mainly used to treat depression and other
psychological disorders.

Insomnia
is not the only nighttime side effect of this drug. Many people taking
it will also experience bad
nightmares and hot flashes, which can both
lead to, or aggravate, insomnia. If you are one of the many people
taking Effexor and battling a lack of sleep, there are some simple
steps you can take to help control the sleeplessness:

Ensure you sleep in a dark, quiet and comfortable
bedroom;

Avoid napping during the day
if you
feel drowsy at any point;

Create a relaxing and
peaceful
environment for yourself before you go to sleep. Avoid
taking part in
any activities that extremely tiring. This might sound a little
strange, as you might think being physically tired would be a good
thing, but it is important that the mind is rested and not 'buzzing'
when you go to bed;

Avoid any alcohol
when taking Effexor.
Insomnia could be made worse by drinking alcohol when taking this drug
as it can increase the side effects;

Prepare yourself for
sleep by switching
off all electronics in the house about half an hour or
more before you
intend on going to bed.

These
steps can improve sleep
hygiene naturally for most people and should be
carried out as part of a night time routine in general. Having said
that, experiencing insomnia while on Effexor can quite often be
unavoidable and is simply a frustrating and tiresome
downside of the
antidepressant.

If
you search through just a few online forums related to different types
of medication, you will find that there are a large number of people
who are taking venlafaxine and battling with restless
nights.

In
the United States, it is a requirement that black box warnings are
visibly printed on all antidepressants. This type of alert
usually
appears on the packet inside the medication container whether it be
pills or medicine. This is the highest
level of warning distributed and
means that the medication can have serious side effects, some of which
may be life threatening.

Scientists
believe that those taking Effexor
are at more of a risk of suicide and self harm than with other
antidepressants.

The
withdrawal symptoms of venlafaxine can be quite harsh. Even missing one
pill can have a very negative impact on the physical and mental
condition of the user. The withdrawal symptoms associated
with the pills range from dizziness
to problems with vision.

Some
people have even claimed that they experience a sensation they refer to
as 'brain shivers'.

Medical
experts have often dismissed this feeling
claiming they are headaches or dizziness, but sufferers insist that
these brain shivers, or tremors, are more than that and feel like
inexplicable, bouncy movements in the head. All
of these sensations and symptoms can further increase problems with
insomnia.

Therefore, as with any
forms of strong medication, it is extremely important to follow instructions given to you
by your doctor and it is strongly advised not to take yourself off of
Effexor if you think you do not need it anymore.

Do
Benefits of Effexor Outweigh Insomnia Symptoms?

Overdosing
on any antidepressant can be very dangerous. Drug companies recommend
that the intake of Effexor be managed well to ensure that there is less
of a risk of overdosing.

The
effects of taking the incorrect amount of pills are known to be
seizures, nausea, vomiting, changes in heart rate, low blood pressure
and a buildup of toxic chemicals in the body. Changes in consciousness
can also occur and, in worse cases, lead to a coma or death. An
overdose of Effexor is not usually linked with insomnia.

People
who take Effexor often claim that they are highly addicted to the drug.
This can be a common occurrence with many pills taken for depression as
the mood lifting feeling is very comforting and addictive. This
addiction is usually a psychological dependency but can become physical
after time if a certain level of tolerance is developed. Addiction to
this drug will have a negative impact on sleep patterns and can result
in insomnia.

Depression
can be a symptoms of suffering different severity levels of insomnia.
People who suffer from acute or chronic
insomnia often complain of
depression
symptoms. Each condition, and their medical treatments,
can
have an adverse reaction on each other.

You
can go to the doctor with a condition like anxiety, depression or panic
attacks and be prescribed venlafaxine, which can cause side effects
like insomnia that only add to, or worsen, your original conditions.

Doctors
explain that the overall goal of Effexor is to help lessen or control
the levels of depression, panic attacks, and anxiety attacks. Make sure
that you are honest with your doctor when he asks if you have any
existing medical conditions or heart problems that could be made
drastically worse by any form of prescribed
medication.

With
the huge amounts of known side effects and dangers related to Effexor,
it is key that your doctor or specialist ascertains that the benefits
to your condition outweigh
the side effects and dangers. Most doctors
should only prescribe enough tablets for a trial period of a month or
six weeks and then ask that you come back and discuss if the medication
has notably improved your condition.

If
your condition has worsened or if its side effects have had a
detrimental effect on your quality of life, then your doctor should not
hand you a new prescription, but should go on to explore other avenues
of treatments that are available.